Method of producing a sealed package filled with a liquid or flowing commodity



June 7, 1966 R. M. DlLOT METHOD OF PRODUCING A SEALED PACKAGE FILLEDWITH A LIQUID OR FLOWING COMMODITY Filed March 1, 1963 INVENTOR R0 [.1Ma nus D/[dz ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 254 469 METHOD or rnonuns ASEALED PACKAGE FILLED WITH A LIQUID 0R FLOWING COM- MODITY Rolf MagnusDilot, Uppakra, Sweden, assignor to AB Akerlund & Rausing, Lund, Sweden,a company of Sweden Filed Mar. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 261,979 Claimspriority, application Sweden, Mar. 2, 1962, 2,3 13/ 62 4 Claims. (Cl.53-37) The present invention relates to a method of producing a sealedpackage filled with a liquid or flowing commodity by introducing saidcommodity into an open container and subsequently sealing-closed thecontainer by a continuous closure membrane.

Hitherto known methods of this class have inherently presentedconsiderable limitations, particularly with regard to the filling rate.Thus, with a view to securing good sealing conditions when closing thecontainers it has been found necessary to have a filling rate so low asto prevent the commodity to be packaged, e.g., a powder or liquidproduct, from entering, by splashing or dusting, that zone along thecontainer opening edge where the closure sheet is to be sealed to thecontainer. Any deposits of the commodity in this zone might jeopardizethe sealing-closed of the container into a package, whether such sealingcomprises heat-sealing by a thermoplastic material or normal gluing.

Now, the method according to the invention will eliminate this drawbackbeing characterized substantially by sealing, preparatory to the fillingstep, a masking membrane to the container over the opening thereof andin a re-entrant seal along the opening edge, and, during the fillingstep, through said masking membrane and while ensuring an externalsealing relationship thereto subsequently introducing one end of afilling mandrel or the'like into the interior of the container, therebyfrom outside to supply commodity to the container through an internalpassage which, in the inserted position of the mandrel, extends on bothsides of said masking membrane, the filled and sealed package havingsaid closure membrane positioned outside of said masking sheeet.

By such method there is gained the advantage that the container may befilled with the commodity in question Without any part thereof reachingthe intended sealing 'zone of the closure sheet irrespective of thefilling rate.

In addition, the masking membrane together with the container side andbottom Walls during the filling step effectively defining the packagecavity and isolating same from the surrounding, the container may befilled to an extent much larger than that otherwise obtainable in caseswhere, with a view to the risk of an undesired contact between thecommodity and the just mentioned sealing Zone and of partially spillingcommodity out of the filled but, before the application of the closuremembrane, entirely open container, only partial filling is possible.

In the following, the invention will be described more in detail asapplied onto a particular package type disclosed eg in Norwegianspecifications Nos. 92,129, 93,- 576 and 94,769.

The drawing, in a modified exploded view, illustrates the methodaccording to the invention as applied to filling and closing a foldingbox carton erected into parallelepipedon shape. The four side Wallpanels 1, 2, 3 and 4 define a rectangular cross-section shape tubularbody which, in the filling step, is in a substantially vertical positionand is closed at its lower end (not shown). At the opposite end the sidewall panels 1, 2, 3 and 4 de- Patented June 7, 1966 fine an end openingto the edge of which there are hinged four end closure flaps 5, 6, 7 and8, one for each of the side wall panels 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively.

Preparatory to the filling and closing operations said end closure flaps5 to 8, inclusive, are turned outwarly about the cor-responding portionsof the end opening edge into a position substantially in the openingplane. At least at the end opening edge the end closure flaps 5 to 8,inclusive, are equal in width to the corresponding side wall panels 1,2, 3 and 4, respectively, and, in addition, it is herein assumed afolding box carton construction such as, upon outward turning of the endclosure flaps 5 to 8,

inclusive, into the position shown in the drawing, substantially in theend opening plane to yield a surface entirely surrounding the endopening edge and defined thereby. Besides, by that side of the endclosure flaps 5 to 8, inclusive, which in said position faces upwardly,it is constituted by the transition elements 9 at each opening edgecorner between the respective adjacent end closure flaps. Saidtransition elements 9 may be in the form of possibly plastic filmcovered portions of the packaging material of the carton as disclosed inthe above mentioned Norwegian patents, but might as well be in the formof gusset portions, e.g. of stretchable plastic film, connectingadjacent end closure flaps 5 to 8, inclusive, at the opening edgecorners.

In accordance with the invention, before the filling step there isapplied over the carton end opening a masking membrane 10 which in are-entrant seal 11 extending along the opening edge is sealed to saidsurface formed by the end closure flaps 5 to 8, inclusive, and thetransition elements 9. In the embodiment of the method in questionillustrated in the drawing, it is assumed that the masking membrane 10is continuous, and, therefore, in its sealed state it covers the endopening entirely. In the present case, the container comprised by thecarton as closed at the lower end thereof is thus entirely closed justbefore the filling step.

Thus, for introducing the commodity in question into the interior of thecontainer the closed state thereof should be broken in one way oranother. To this end, use is here made of a filling mandrel 12 which inthe filling step is caused by one end to puncture the masking membrane10 at 13 to enter the interior of the container. The filling mandrel 12has an internal passage 14, one month 15 of which is situated at theinsertion end of the filling mandrel 12, the other end (via a conduit14a) communicating with a commodity supply means not shown. In theintroduced position of the fill-ing mandrel 12 the supply means thuscommunicates with the interior of the container via the supply passage14. The filling mandrel 12 is of-such a design and the masking membrane10 is of such a nature as to make the masking membrane 10 in thepenetration region 13be in a sealing 1 relationship to the outside ofthe filling mandrel 12 extending into the interior of the container.

In the inserted state of the filling mandrel 12 the liquid or flowingcommodity in'question is supplied to the container interior through themandrel supply passage 14. Because the masking membrane 10 covers theend opening entirely and is in a sealing relationship to the fillingmandrel 12 the air quantity displaced by the commodity in the containerinteriorhas to be removed from the container through the wall of thecontainer cavity defined by the container side wall panels 1 to 4,inclusive, the container bottom Wall, and the masking membrane 10. Inthe case illustrated the air in question is vented oil? through aninternal venting passage 16 in a venting mandrel 17 which similarly tothe filling mandrel 12 in the filling step is caused by one end topuncture the masking membrane 10 at 18 to enter the container interior.One end 19 of the supply passage 16 is situated at the insertion end ofthe venting mandrel 17', the other end thereof communicating with theambient atmosphere either directly or via a conduit 16a. If desired,there might be incorporated a precipitator or the like in the conduit16a.

Thus, in the inserted position of the venting mandrel 17 the containerinterior communicates with the ambient atmosphere via the ventingpassage 16. As with the filling mandrel 12 the venting mandrel 17 is ofa design such as to make the masking membrane 10 in the insertion region18 establish a sealing relationship'to the outside of the ventingmandrel 17.

Of course, the supply passage 14 is of a cross sectional area adjustedto the filling rate desired. The same also applies to the ventingpassage 16, being adjusted to the desired venting capacity.

Thanks to the sealing relationship between the masking membrane 10 andthe two mandrels 12 and 17 the supply of commodity into the containerinterior may be effected without commodity depositing onto the endclosure flaps to 8, inclusive, and the outside of the masking membrane.In addition, the container may be filled to an extent much larger thanin case the filling was efiected through the unmasked end opening.

Upon completion of the commodity supply into the container interior thetwo mandrels 12 and 17 are removed therefrom.

The final closing of the filled container is effected by a closuremembrane 20 which, in a re-entrant seal 21 enclosing the insertionregions 13 and 18 of the two mandrels 12 and 17, respectively, is sealedto the top face of the masking membrane 10. For practical reasons theseal 21 of the closure membrane 20 preferably is of an extension equalto that of the corresponding seal 11 of the masking membrane 10, asshown in the drawing.-

Within the scope of the invention the method in question lends itself tomodifications in relation to the embodiment above described and shown inthe drawing. Thus, a separate venting mandrel 17 may be avoided in casethe filling mandrel 12 is provided with an additional internal ventingpassage. Instead of having the mandrel or mandrels themselves topuncture the masking membrane in the respective penetration regions 13and 18, as herein assumed, it is possible though technically morecomplicated to pre-puncture the masking membrane in such regions and inthe filling step to introduce the mandrels in the respective openingsthus established.

Subsequently to the final sealing-closed of the carton by the closuremembrane the end closure flaps 5 to 8, inclusive, are folded inwardly tolie over the carton end opening and are secured in such infoldedposition. At this operation, first the end closure flaps 6 and 8 arefolded inwardly, then the end closure flap 7 and finally the end closureflap 5, the latter by insertion tabs being locked in corresponding slotsin the end closure flap 7.

Herein the principles of the invention have been illustrated as appliedto a folding box carton to be erected into parallelepipedon shape andhaving end closure flaps. However, the invention may be applied tofilling and closing containers of other types, e.g. of cup or troughshape. If the masking membrane as in the case of the above describedembodiment is, in more or less planar state, to be sealed to thecontainer in question over the end opening thereof, said opening of thecup or trough shape containers should have an edge of sufiicient lateralextension to offer a sealing zone which for practical reasons is notmerely of linear extension but has a width dimension. Preferably thecontainers for this reason have a circumscribing corbelled-out edgeflange.

Irrespective of container type it is possible in accordance with theinvention when sealing the masking membrane to the container to depressthe masking membranepush-in lid fashion-into the carton end opening andto seal it to the inside of the container side wall. In its sealed statethe membrane then will by its central portion span the correspondingcross sectional area of the container, its margin portions surroundingsuch central portion being folded outwardly flange-like and engaging theside wall inside.

What has just been stated as regards the masking membrane is entirelyapplicable to the closure membrane in cases where the same is sealed tothe masking membrane in a seal, enclosing the end opening in question.

Iclaim:

1. A method of producing a sealed package filled with a liquid orflowing commodity, comprising introducing said commodity into an opencontainer and subsequently sealing-closed the container by means of aclosure membrane, characterized by the steps of first'sealing a maskingmembrane to the container in a re-entrant seal along the containeropening edge, thereby at least to mask off the container opening;subsequently introducing, through said masking membrane and whileensuring an external sealing relationship thereto, one end of a fillingmandrel or the like into the interior of the container, said fillingmandrel having an internal passage which in the inserted position of thefill-ing mandrel extends on both sides of said masking membrane;supplying the commodity to be packaged to the interior of the containerthrough said mandrel passage; and removing said filling mandrel from thecontainer; and finally sealing closed the filled container by applying aclosure membrane outside of said masking membrane and securing it in are-entrant seal.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by removing from theinterior of the container the air quantity which, during the filling ofthe container, will be displaced by the commodity supplied to thecontainer, such removal of air being effected through an internalventing passage in the filling mandrel, which venting passage in theinserted position of the filling mandrel extends on both sides of themasking membrane.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized by introducing, throughsaid mask-ing membrane and while ensuring an external relationshipthereto, one end of a separate venting mandrel into the interior of thecontainer, said venting mandrel having an internal venting passage whichin the inserted position of the venting mandrel extends on both sides ofthe masking membrane, thereby to remove the air quantity displaced bythe commodity supplied to the container.

4. A method according to claim 1, said masking membrane seallngbtf thecontainer before introducing the mandrel thereinto, characterized bycausing the mandrel to puncture the masking membrane when being insertedtherethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,972,130 9/1934Case 5337 X 2,177,919 10/1939 Vogt 53-37 2,855,006 10/1958 Geisler 1417FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

P. POHL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING A SEALED PACKAGE FILLED WITH A LIQUID ORFLOWINF COMMODITY, COMPRISING INTRODUCING SAID COMMODITY INTO AN OPENCONTAINER AND SUBSEQUENTLY SEALING-CLOSED THE CONTAINER BY MEANS OF ACLOSURE MEMBRANE, CHARACTERIZED BY THE STEPS OF FIRST SEALING A MASKINGMEMBRANE TO THE CONTAINER IN A RE-ENTRANT SEAL ALONG THE CONTAINEROPENING EDGE, THEREBY AT LEAST TO MASK OFF THE CONTAINER OPENING;SUBSEQUENTLY INTRODUCING, THROUGH SAID MASKING MEMBRANE AND WHILEENSURING AN EXTERNAL SEALING RELATIONSHIP THERETO, ONE END OF A FILLINGMANDREL OR THE LIKE INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, SAID FILLINGMANDREL HAVING AN INTERNAL PASSAGE WHICH IN THE INSERTED POSITION OF THEFILLING MANDREL EXTENDS ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID MASKING MEMBRANE;SUPPLYING THE COMMODITY TO BE PACKAGED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINERTHROUGH SAID MANDREL PASSAGE; AND REMOVING SAID FILLING MANDREL FROM THECONTAINER; AND FINALLY SEALING CLOSED THE FILLED CONTAINER BY APPLYING ACLOSURE MEMBRANE OUTSIDE OF SAID MASKING MEMBRANE AND SECURING IT IN ARE-ENTRANT SEAL.